The Pulp.

Nokia demonstrated a change in brand strategy today, releasing a new phone in the U.S. and Europe that has a name and not just a model number. And, yeah, we named it. For around $800, a Nokia Luna can be yours. Via About.com:

Nokia just announced the Nokia 8600 Luna, a slider luxury phone with a shell made of smoked glass. For example, the keypad is visible through the protective cover but only reveals when you slide it up.

Named after Luna, “the goddess of moonlight, which was often represented by the Romans as a mysteriously captivating beauty encircled in a soft, yet radiant light”, the Nokia 8600 Luna will also include a 2-megapixel camera, a mini USB port and quad-band worldwide roaming.

And from MobileTechReview:

Building upon a tradition of crafting its most unique and prestigious phones from trend-setting materials like chrome, stainless steel and titanium, Nokia today unveiled the Nokia 8600 Luna, which has been precision engineered from the same material that has inspired both artists and craftsmen for centuries- glass.

The melding of nearly opaque smoked glass with unique, soft-touch stainless steel makes the Nokia 8600 Luna as enchanting to behold as it is a joy to touch. Adding to its mysterious allure, a gentle keypad illumination pulsates from beneath the glass case while the phone awaits a call. Combined with the warmth of its glass and stainless steel body, this “heartbeat” transforms the Nokia 8600 Luna from an inanimate object into a trusted companion with an organic, virtually alive form. When a call does beckon, the signature slide movement is carefully balanced to smoothly raise the ergonomic keypad from within its glass cocoon.

The balance of aesthetics and ergonomics found in the design of the Nokia 8600 Luna continues in its well thought out feature set. Nokia’s first use of a single micro-USB port not only allows for a streamlined design free of extraneous indentations, it allows owners to streamline common activities – like charging, audio and data connectivity – into a single connection. Quad-band GSM support also allows owners to easily stay connected while they are on the road, while the large, bright display is perfect for sharing images captured with the 2 megapixel camera.

Palm just announced it’s first new product in years, an ultralight laptop companion to the Treo called Foleo.

Why would Palm hire Igor to name something this important? Don’t ask. Mystery is what keeps life interesting. And besides, we have no idea.

It doesn’t happen often, but the current edition of The Conference Board Review contains a thoughtful article about naming companies and products.

Igor’s naming guide, “Building the Perfect Beast”, was just updated last week. The latest version of our free 91 page naming guide PDF can be downloaded here.

The corner of State and Lake will soon be home to Chicago’s newest luxury hotel, and it sports a very unusual name.

In other Igor naming news, our first national television network name launched last week- there are two more in the pipe so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, over on the seedy side of town, the good folks at Landor launched their corporate HQ webcam today, where it’s just another day at the orifice. Enjoy:

Black Single Love

“The group that made a dream a reality” (click pic to engorge):

Discovery Channel to air “The Joy of Lex” in July.

Remember the descriptive compound names of the doomed search engines of yore? LookSmart, InfoSeek FindWhat, AllTheWeb, etc? Failing to understand the lessons of the past, AOL has brought back generic naming and branding with their new search engine name, “FullView”.

At first glance “FullView“ might seem merely a literal translation of AltaVista, but that would be “HighView”, and quite different, of course.

Here is the hysterical PPT that AOL used to sell this dog internally. Note slide number four, where they say the name needs “to signal new, different” and “generate intrigue”.

FullView was named by “best of breed naming agency” Lexicon.

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It happens every Spring, but it needn’t. With the upturn in weather, giddy branders rush outside and dive willy-nilly into rigorous exercise without much thought of safety or technique. The season’s first casualty is Harcourt Assessment, which has suffered a Learnia.

Naming Safety Tip # 1: When engaging in a naming exercise, ALWAYS LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS. This will greatly reduce the possibility of a Learnia.

Says Blandor the Imponderable: “I love a good Learnia, in fact it is a smashing result! Though it does sound derivative of my own work— little matter, imitation is flattery after all. Le Bon Mots!!!”